APPLAUS Award 2026
In the categories “Beste Livemusikprogramme,” “Beste Livemusikspielstätten” and “Beste kleine Spielstätten und Konzertreihen,” multiple winners are selected. In addition, one non-monetary main prize is awarded per category. Awards are also presented in the categories “Awareness,” “Inklusion,” and “Nachhaltigkeit.”
Categories
Beste
Livemusikprogramme
Live music venues are awarded for their outstanding live music program in the previous year. Key criteria include artistic quality, a clearly recognizable curatorial concept, gender equality, diversity among live acts, and fair performance conditions for artists.
The awards are endowed with prize money of up to €40,000 each.
Beste
Livemusikprogramme
Beste
Livemusikspielstätten
Live music venues that demonstrated cultural excellence and exceptional impact in the previous year are recognized. In addition to program quality, the evaluation includes outstanding production and performance conditions, commitment to marginalized groups (e.g. FLINTA*, people affected by racism and/or antisemitism, and people with disabilities), as well as efforts toward ecological sustainability.
The awards are endowed with prize money of up to €25,000 each.
Beste
Livemusikspielstätten
Beste kleine Spielstätten und Konzertreihen
Live music venues and regional promoters are awarded for creative and forward-thinking program concepts in the previous year. In addition to artistic quality, fair performance conditions and cultural, social, and ecological engagement are also evaluated.
The awards are endowed with prize money of up to €10,000 each.
Beste kleine Spielstätten und Konzertreihen
Awareness
Culturally outstanding activities in the field of awareness are recognized. The focus is on a clearly defined concept for preventing discrimination and (sexualized) violence, strong support for affected individuals, discrimination-sensitive programming, and reflective public communication, spatial design, and staffing policies. A self-reflective and survivor-centered approach to responsibility in dealing with incidents of discrimination or (sexualized) violence is also essential.
The awards are endowed with prize money of up to €10,000 each.
Beste
Livemusikprogramme
Inklusion
Culturally outstanding activities and convincing concepts that strengthen inclusion, participation, and accessibility are recognized. The focus is on comprehensive inclusion strategies that enable equal participation in cultural life for people with physical, psychological, and cognitive disabilities, chronic illnesses, and neurodivergent individuals, as well as inclusive programming, active involvement of people with disabilities, and target-group-specific communication measures.
The awards are endowed with prize money of up to €10,000.
Beste
Livemusikspielstätten
Nachhaltigkeit
Culturally outstanding activities in the field of ecological sustainability are recognized. The focus is on concepts that reduce the environmental and climate impact of live music operations and serve as role models for sustainable transformation within the sector. Evaluation criteria include the development and implementation of measures in the areas of energy, mobility, and resource use, strategic sustainability management, and transparent internal and external communication.
The awards are endowed with prize money of up to €10,000 each.
Beste kleine Spielstätten und Konzertreihen
Categories
Livemusikprogramme
Live music venues are awarded for their outstanding live music program in the previous year. Key criteria include artistic quality, a clearly recognizable curatorial concept, gender equality, diversity among live acts, and fair performance conditions for artists.
The awards are endowed with prize money of up to €40,000 each.
Livemusikspielstätten
Live music venues that demonstrated cultural excellence and exceptional impact in the previous year are recognized. In addition to program quality, the evaluation includes outstanding production and performance conditions, commitment to marginalized groups (e.g. FLINTA*, people affected by racism and/or antisemitism, and people with disabilities), as well as efforts toward ecological sustainability.
The awards are endowed with prize money of up to €25,000 each.
und Konzertreihen
Live music venues and regional promoters are awarded for creative and forward-thinking program concepts in the previous year. In addition to artistic quality, fair performance conditions and cultural, social, and ecological engagement are also evaluated.
The awards are endowed with prize money of up to €10,000 each.
Culturally outstanding activities in the field of awareness are recognized. The focus is on a clearly defined concept for preventing discrimination and (sexualized) violence, strong support for affected individuals, discrimination-sensitive programming, and reflective public communication, spatial design, and staffing policies. A self-reflective and survivor-centered approach to responsibility in dealing with incidents of discrimination or (sexualized) violence is also essential.
The awards are endowed with prize money of up to €10,000 each.
Culturally outstanding activities and convincing concepts that strengthen inclusion, participation, and accessibility are recognized. The focus is on comprehensive inclusion strategies that enable equal participation in cultural life for people with physical, psychological, and cognitive disabilities, chronic illnesses, and neurodivergent individuals, as well as inclusive programming, active involvement of people with disabilities, and target-group-specific communication measures.
The awards are endowed with prize money of up to €10,000.
Culturally outstanding activities in the field of ecological sustainability are recognized. The focus is on concepts that reduce the environmental and climate impact of live music operations and serve as role models for sustainable transformation within the sector. Evaluation criteria include the development and implementation of measures in the areas of energy, mobility, and resource use, strategic sustainability management, and transparent internal and external communication.
The awards are endowed with prize money of up to €10,000 each.
Objectives of APPLAUS
Financial support
Recognition of excellence
Raising awareness
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